CHOICE

Something grazed my heart, I thought… a sword in the hands of a familiar face – Hania.

Why?

I tried to pull the blade out of me. A pair of flying daggers severed my arms. Blood! Blood! My sights blurred into a crimson haze. Through the dim fog of

my fading consciousness, I heard the approach of mute footsteps

accompanied by a faint voice. Hania…?

"Emir Yaz, you have to die for me. Sorry, you were a threat to us, so we decided to get rid of you early. If you want to hold a grudge, then hate your fate and

the Sacred Heavenly Treasures who have chosen you as their Master.

Goodbye, Heir of the Revolution – Yazan Kanz Sahil."

Heir of the Revolution, what…?!

Her cold, stoic farewell was punctuated by her lips curling into

a remorseless smile.

"E-Eugh! Ghwh…!" A sharp pain pierced through my gutted carcass until it was

nothing more than a distant memory. Languor overcame me. So this is death?

It… feels nice. Although, quite a shame to go in such a wretched manner,

betrayed by the person I trusted the most in the world… My world…

I couldn't protect it.

A waning light glared at me, a radiant sliver amid the encroaching murk.

I don't want to die before establishing peace…! The vain declaration elicited

a scoff from my own self. It seems my delusions won't come to rest even at death's door… Dammit, I don't want to die like this!

"So you are the one who my master asked me to save."

"W-What…?! Who's there?"

The utterance echoed from somewhere within the void, yet I was unable to

decipher the form of the speaker, a smudge among smothering shadows.

"Looks like you are dying. Your wound… Oh, my! Something interesting is happening to you. So it's you… This truly is interesting."

Interesting…!? Is she… laughing!? "What the hell is so… funny to you?"

"If you're dying, then I'll pick it up – your life that is. From now, you will live for this world. You shall save this world."

Abruptly, she slid into focus – a statuesque figure in gilded regalia of

silken ivory, crowned and caped by the darkness of the night

framing onyx irides.

"By the order of my master, I, Sara of the Irin entrusted with the Vigil of Insania, have come to meet your soul and offer you his token of condolence."

"Your master's token of condolence…?"

"It is simply the following choice: either die now or be reawakened into

another realm with knowledge and experience upon receiving my request."

"A request?" It was tempting that my life will continue,

having so regretfully taken from me by my beloved and my people as a result of my foolishness mere moments ago, but I needed to

know why this whatever of Insania or rather her master had chosen me.

"The realm is currently in chaos and soon will succumb to destruction if

balance is not met. My Master wants you to be the savior of

it and its creatures."

"To be the savior…" Can I?

[The System Creator and Administrator have invited you to become a Player.

You have acquired the rights to become a Player. Will you accept?]

What should I do?

My hesitation to respond was spurred against by the reiteration of the question.

[WILL YOU ACCEPT?]

If there is one more chance, let's live for myself and not as a weakling.

If I use this knowledge and experience, I may be able to live of my own will and

find what I call happiness. So…

SHTRAK!

I whited out to a blinding flash.